South Africa was mortified when it discovered it allowed a sign language interpreter on stage next to world leader to sign what amounted to mere gibberish. The situation got worse when reports emerged he had been connected with criminal behavior. But the man at the center of the controversy is a star once more. That and more in today's Global Scan.

Thailand's been enduring political protesters for years, with voters in the provinces regularly electing national leaders who aren't amenable to the Bangkok power establishment. And judges keep throwing those candidates out of office. It happened again this week, leading some to wonder about the country's future political stability.

Sonia Narang will be reporting from Pakistan in April as part of a fellowship sponsored by the East West Center. The trip has had special meaning for her, though, because she'll be the first member of her extended family to visit Pakistan since they left after the Indian/Pakistani partition in 1947.

Press freedom in the Kingdom of Thailand is limited, so one group has turned to an online comedy newscast to report on the political turmoil in the country. It's more slapstick than The Daily Show, but that helps it slide by potential government critics.

Monday Thai opposition leaders kicked off a campaign to "Shutdown Bangkok" continuing weeks of protests against Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. What do the protesters want? You just might be surprised.

Thailand's beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej made a plea for unity on his 86th birthday, a few days after violent protests in Bangkok killed several people. We take the occasion to point out the king's little known connection to the US — and Boston, in particular.

Bitcoins have soared in value in recent weeks, touching $1000 per bitcoin earlier this week. They've become so popular some traditional businesses are accepting them for payment — but not everyone has embraced them.

Rob Ford remains steadfast in his refusal to give up his job as mayor of Toronto — and perhaps that's providing motivation to some of Canada's other drug users. Edward Snowden's revelations have sparked hearings before the British Parliament and Twitter had finally gone public. Those stories and others in today's Global Scan.

Under pressure by the US government and American evangelicals, the Thai government has stepped up raids to rescue sex trafficking victims. The trouble is, many of the "rescued" sex workers may not have been trafficked in the first place.

Thailand's been enduring political protesters for years, with voters in the provinces regularly electing national leaders who aren't amenable to the Bangkok power establishment. And judges keep throwing those candidates out of office. It happened again this week, leading some to wonder about the country's future political stability.

The worst flood in Thailand in 50 years has killed hundreds in the central and northern parts of the country, but now the water is rushing toward the capital city, endangering millions of lives and valuable property.

South Africa was mortified when it discovered it allowed a sign language interpreter on stage next to world leader to sign what amounted to mere gibberish. The situation got worse when reports emerged he had been connected with criminal behavior. But the man at the center of the controversy is a star once more. That and more in today's Global Scan.

Muslim rebels in Thailand have been battling Buddhist government forces for four years, and the government admitted today that it's far from winning, and suggested that the rebels may be getting support from al-Qaeda

As the tides rise in Thailand, flooding is getting worse in parts of Bangkok. There are fears that with even higher tides forecast for this weekend, flooding could inundate parts of the city that have so far remained dry.